Research

Overall available physiotherapy, medical and psycological research papers show:

Children with neurological problems are likely to have abnormal breathing.

Breathing affects body structure so that abnormal body structure also be related to abnormal breathing.

Breathing muscles are used as postural muscles therefore weaker posture (including sitting with round shoulders) is a consequence of weaker breathing.

Breathing muscles are used for speech so that most speech problems also involve breathing abnormalities.

Breathing affects blood circulation including blood supply to the brain.

Breathing can be affected by stressful events occurring before or after birth.

In addition, it is noteworthy the theoretical basis for the Scotson Technique (TST) and the studies investigating its value for disabled children have been taken from Ms Scotson’s PhD thesis which was accepted for a postgraduate MPhil/PhD submission by the Institute of Child Health University College London

Linda Scotson’s Viva is planned for the late autumn. Meanwhile Ms Scotson is working on 2 further papers and a Medical Research Council Grant to statistically investigate the effects of TST on disabled children with a view to the approach also being incorporated into mainstream NHS physiotherapy therapy.